The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-04-02

6eII. III WAS ucT UtAb mum u'NN' ui' y
linen collars and always spotless white
aprons that had first attracted Johns at
tention; and then IL was the pretty face
with ns pleasant smile and independent
ewes, that had increased the interest until
II had eliminated In his meahly pocketshB
her rel stockings
At last the detective gave up in despair
"She has hidden them some place else"
he said, shortly.
"She never had them at ALL" replied
John, calmly.
"Then what made her act so guiltyW
questioned the o, ner almost believing NM
self In her innocence.
'Don't know" answered John, laconc-
ally. When they returned 10 the factory
there was quite a confusion and huhhub,
for tho Jewels had been found by another
detective employed by Dingus in the pos
session OF u notorious pickpockct, who, dis
gused as woman, had slipped into the
store with the crowd OF factory.girls
Every body was glad, and congratulated
Annie-even the smart detective did, al.
though he could not help wi shing she had
been so consiierate az u assist him TO gain
that reward But Annie could not look
John straight in the face. Poor child
w
she known ths enormous bulge in Johns
jacket pocket was caused ~ her very iden'
teal red stockings LAID out TO air that
morn.ngi John, of whom she never
drclm,d as other than "Mr Dart" even
though she worked faster when he came
her way and perhaps f1lt more anxiety
aOuu. the smoOta masses of Light brown
ha.r than a any other tlmhf
tp.t 1tiiprS hnd gone.
and all had settled 10 work again, John
came to A nie's hlir and SAID kindly:
m =, Annie, That detective turned every
thing in your room IN such awful confusion
it will take You all day TO stra, ght,n II up
u gain, 80, fy)a like, | have gotten pcrmi'-
sion for you 10 take the remainder OF the
day, ana no re- tuction to be made"
Thank you-you are very KIND" she
murmur1l, but she would not look at him
and seemed so confused h t big, good.
naturei Jim turned away IN pure kind.
ness and lot her make her escape unno.
uyei.
Annie tlsd hOmcward, dashed into No. 81,
glanced wildly over the room, then burst
into tears
80 dear! o dcarw she sobbcd "Thero
was my nigut-iresS on the bed, and my
ol4ppJI'i my Ob NV " "'''' ~
potatoes in thJ skulcti o, IA, will think |
am regular ,lov n! Why couldn't it
happen any other time than when had TO
sleep 50 late cJu, TAFT eat my breakfast
o, dear, he vii n.ver like me ;ainl He
co lldn't after seeing 81 n "a cooking ROOM"
Snl "A not stup 10 THINK thai h r castle
look d worse VIII u they mad leit than when
they entcr14. Bat - / e disorder worried
4, IA ..s.. ~,
sac bcgan nor task. IL was some time
&c orj h ; dclect.ve's work wa, undone-
every tam, IN trim Order, with the mat
tire - 70 I'D up 3ul tn bed fJid,d against
the wall ike d OOOG-c iLct and the lew
dishes w4,n d, tII the Tiny stove BACKED,
AMI the screen set around IL, and III, one
table covered with gayly-emDruidercd
cloth, all OF VIII ch transformed the
kitCh n and b,I-ro)m tntO coy little
sitlny room "a, In Jugh by fairy's wand.
IL Vas dainty little pac =, nothing eXpen'
s,vt, out exQu.s. 10 in the TASTE and tact dis
played. Tn preva hing co.orS were deep
red dn / pale bsus gold, with many neutral
tints D.enlcd in the various BITS OF fancy
work. On bracket WAS IA bit of white
statuury set on IA d1lcavc III .tt.ng OF the
tender green leaves OF a growing vinJ-the
only costly extravaganza IN the room, and
Annie well knew how lolg L took her TO
slvo enough TO buy u, sac had selected
hor room for its south window, and therein
were standing two geranium pants in iull
bloom-one deep double red, the other q
soft single white flower.
As Annie wa. viewing these little lux
uries with comm ,ndlUle pride and, grad
ual pluckng up SPIRITS, she suddenly be-
thought her of her stockings She did not
remember Of packing them up, and, as she
had only tnrec mrs, it was impor ant that
none of them should b. misplaced. There
fore she began 10 search iii gently, and
was beginning to got urel an 1 puzzled in
the useless search, whom loud rap, which
sho heArl once before at the door, caused
her to gllnc hastily in the lass and then
| tm.dly opon the door t. tlc knOcker. 1t
was noon. The whistle hal blown just a
| fow minutes before, and, in,tcai OF going
| to his dinner, hero was MIR. John Dart
| standing at hor door.
Won't You come inW askci Annie, with
a dOwncast fac>.
| That's what l came for" responded
| John, honestly, and in he walked. Then he
turned around, an /, taxing her hands IN his
own N the tim, -honOrod and approved
| fashion, ho said:
Il have been thinking of you this long
while, Anne, and now | feel | can not
wait any longer. You are alone in the
world, an / am almost so, although uncle
is very good Let US make each other
happy, and have aprctty home like this
with" glanDln5 around the room-"wlth
posses IN evory win low"
o, of course, Annie said "Yes"-whO
wouldn'tl And whom the quarter to ono
whistle blow Joan (who was very punct-
al went from room thlrty-lwo TO the fac
| to Y as one tlting ON air lyhap his
empty stomach mad something to do with
the llghtish foe ing, bat he never thought
of that, of course. Annie sat and laughed
and cried to think how happy she was, and
spent the remainder of har holiday until
evening bulll.ny air-caSIics until John
came back IN began TO pat solid founia-
lions To the same by means OF his pocket
book
They were married two months after
ward, ana til, ucxt day John gave his wife
a small bundle rolled up IN white paper
and tied with blu bbou. Full of wonder
Mrs John united tho ribbon and beheld-
her lost red stocklus
"Why, joint" she exclaimed, instinct
ly running her hanl down 10 the toe Blu
there w,rc no holes-Only two or thrcC
dainty darns an It is safe to predict tina
Johns socks viii never suffer Chicdg,